Hoodlums attack Sowore at Nnamdi Kanu’s trial

Unknown hoodlums on Thursday morning attacked the activist and former presidential hopeful, Omoyele Sowore at the venue of the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).

The hoodlums who came in a bus and about three cars got out of their vehicles and launched an attack on the activist, who was standing outside, as security operatives denied him access to the court.

Sowore had arrived at the court earlier to witness Kanu’s trial but was barred from accessing the courtroom by the security operatives, who said they needed to confirm if his name was on the list of those to be allowed into the court.

As the activist was still standing in front of operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) waiting to be allowed access into the courtroom, the group of thugs of not less than seven people launched an attack on him with one slapping his face and another hitting his head.

Surprised by the development, the activist scampered for safety while his aides tried to resist the attack from the unknown men.

While the incident happened, operatives of the DSS only warned the attackers to back off but did nothing to arrest any of them or stop them from launching further attacks on the activist, while men of the Nigerian Police Force, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) watched as spectators.

READ ALSO: Police arrests Sowore at resumed trial of IPOB leader, Kanu

When the assailants continued their efforts to attack Sowore further, the DSS pushed them away and told them to leave.

However, angered by the incident, and the failure of the security operatives in the premises to arrest the hoodlums, onlookers slammed the security operatives forcing men of the Nigerian Police and NSCDC to chase after the hoodlums, and finally arrested two, while the others fled.

Sowore had while speaking to journalists said he was at the court for several reasons.

He said, “I am here to check the registry because for a while I have not been charged to court, I need to know about my treason case.

“Also I am here to witness the trial of my friend, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the courtroom is incomplete except the public observers watch and if it is a secrete trial, the public must know it‘s a secrete trial. You cannot have a secrete trial in a public courtroom.

“I have said it repeatedly that it is not a crime to ask for self-determination. If you get involved in a bad marriage, you seek counselling, if counselling doesn’t work, you can ask for a divorce and even before the divorce, you can go for separation. So there is nothing wrong with that.

“Nigeria is no longer working for a lot of people. It has never worked as a nation but for us to make it work as a nation; you must listen to everybody who is called a Nigerian. You can’t force people to be Nigerians if you don’t have the dignity.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now